Supervisors Pass Ordinance Covering Private Water Wells – Road Improvement

February 23rd, 2022

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, February 22nd, at 9 am in the 3rd-floor conference room of the courthouse.

Mahaska County Chair Mark Groenendyk was absent from the meeting, so Vice-Chair Steve Wanders then presided.

The first motion was to go into a public hearing for Ordinance 36, regulating private water wells. Wanders said the ordinance would “allow the county to regulate its own wells versus the state doing it.”

No one from the public was on hand to speak about the ordinance, so the public hearing was closed, and a motion in favor of the ordinance was made.

Supervisor Chuck Webb then stated that since there was no comment, either in person or written, the second and third readings of the ordinance be waived. The motion was then carried.

The Board then approved spending $4,439,694.81 for a road project on old Highway 102 to Manatts.

The Board also considered holding a public hearing in the future for a road vacation along a dead-end section of Galeston Ave. The same landowner owns both sides of the road.

The only question was about a bridge located along the road that is historical. Mahaska County Engineer Andy McGuire said he spoke with Iowa DOT and believed the road could be vacated, but a public hearing would need to be held.

That first public hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 21st, 2022, regarding the vacation of the roadway, which is the access to the historic bridge.

Next on the agenda was a resolution to submit an application for a USDA Rural Business Development Grand for funding improvements to 275th St.

This grant would help pave the road from Highway 163 east approximately 1900 feet to the old B and B Bedding business.

The loan is designed to help emerging rural businesses.

A motion was made and seconded to pursue the grant.

The Supervisors then considered granting permission for Navigator Heartland Greenway to do survey work on county-owned property.

The Board authorized Board Chair Mark Groenendyk to delegate permission for the survey process.

Payroll changes for the sheriff’s office and secondary roads were approved. Also approved was a mowing contract for the Mahaska Building on South 11th in Oskaloosa.

Also approved a memorandum of agreement with the city of Oskaloosa for voting precinct eight, with the motion carrying.